HIRAM, Ohio - January 22, 2026 - The NCAA successfully passed a vote to make STUNT a championship sport in Divisions I, II, and III, as announced at the 2026 NCAA Convention last week. The first NCAA championship for the sport is currently projected for the spring of 2027. This marks a historic milestone for the sport and major news for the Hiram College STUNT program, which is closing in on the start of its eighth season of competition next month.

STUNT has expanded quickly across college athletics, with 40 schools meeting the required participation and competition standards in STUNT's first year as an emerging sport across all three divisions. The sport was originally added to the Emerging Sports for Women program in Divisions I and II in 2023 before the Division III level joined in 2024.

"Designating stunt as an NCAA championship opens new doors for women across the country to compete at the highest level. It's the result of years of dedication from coaches, administrators and student-athletes who share a common goal: creating more opportunities for young women to thrive in college athletics," said Lynda Tealer, senior vice president of championships at the NCAA, in the NCAA press release.

Hiram's STUNT program began in 2018 and completed six seasons of competition before it reached the "Emerging Sport" status at the Division III level in 2024. With STUNT receiving NCAA Championship status, Hiram's student-athletes can now be recognized at one of the highest levels in all of collegiate athletics.

Over seven seasons of competition, the Terriers have qualified for nationals four times. The program has also recognized nine STUNT First-Team All-Americans and eight STUNT Second-Team All-Americans since its inception.

The Terriers are set to open up 2026 competition on Sunday, February 1 against Baldwin Wallace inside Price Gymnasium. Head coach Brianna Burns is entering her first full year of head coaching with the program after spending three years as an assistant and one season as interim head coach. As an athlete, Burns spent four years on Hiram's STUNT team as a backspot (2018-2022).